Portable filter demonstration device for suction cleaner



Oct. 13, 1959 E. F. MARTINEC PORTABLE FILTER DEMONSTRATION DEVICE FOR SUCTION CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1957 a w w a 2 a A 4. A a 2 4 E 6 Y 2 mm v B 1 M m m I V 3/1 W w M 7 i u m w H m 7 M M n 2 /YO M// w J mu M mu M m a w o I B F ,a F vml fl T V v 1 v r\ I Oct- 1 1959 v E. F. MARTINEC 2,908,088

' PORTABLE FILTER DEMoNsTRATIbN DEVICE FOR SUCTION CLEANER Filed July 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IO 25 nm/ unnonnuun/ noun INVENT OR.

ATTORIUIYS United States- Patent lice 2,908,088 Patented Oct. 13, 1959 PORTABLE FILTER DEMONSTRATION DEVIC FOR SUCTION CLEANER Eugene F; Martinee, East Cleveland, Ohio, assign'or to Health-Moi, Inc Chicago, Ill., a'corporation of lllinois Application July 23, 1957, Serial No. 673,675 '5 Claims. ((11. 35513) out with considerable effectiveness.

Heretofore it has not been possible to demonstrate in a home the efliciency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from the atmosphere. will remove dust and dirt having relatively large particle size; However, many filters readily pass particles of tobacco smoke with the air without separating the two as the smoke-filled air enters the filter. It is desirable that a simple means be provided for demonstrating in a home whether a cleaner has a filter which will remove smoke from air passed through the cleaner. 1

A device for demonstrating the eificiency of a suction cleaner for filtering tobacco smoke from the atmosphere is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 672,442, filed July 17, 1957. However, such a device is not readily portable and where the primary sales effort is conducted on a door-to door basis, it is preferable that a filter demonstration device for a suction cleaner be composed of apparatus that is of minimum weight and bulk.

The device of the present invention includes a transparent collapsible hood which is placed over and around a suction cleaner for demonstration. The open end of the hood is secured tightly around the lower portion of the cleaner to achieve a substantially airtight connection. Tobacco smoke is introduced into the hood until the entire space around the cleaner is obviously filled with smoke. The cleaner is then turned on and the atmosphere within the hood is cleared of smoke in a very short period of time.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a demonstration device that permits visual observation of a suction cleaner filtering tobacco smoke from the atmosphere.

It is another object of this invention to provide a portable demonstration device for showing the effectiveness of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke and/or other fumes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a portable demonstration device for demonstrating the smoke filtering advantages of a suction cleaner, which device is composed of minimum weight and bulk.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a demonstration device for a suction cleaner by which the foregoing objects and desider ata are obtained in a simple, effective and inexpensive manner.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved and The less efiicient filters 501 the outer periphery includes -of air outlets l0.

described diificulties overcome by the discoveries, principles, apparatus, parts, combinations, subcombinations, and elements which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following statement, a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

Generally, the nature of the apparatus of the present invention may be stated as including a transparent col lapsible hood having an open end adapted for insertion of a suction cleaner, the open end being provided with means for tightening the end of thehood around the housing of the cleaner in a substantially airtight manner, the hood having an outlet opening for the electric cord of the cleaner, the hood also having opening means for introducing tobacco smoke or the like into the hood around the cleaner, whereby subsequent operation of the cleaner removes the smoke-filled air from and returns smokeless air to the interior of the hood.

By way of example, a preferred embodiment ofthe apparatus of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein; p

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus showing a suction cleaner mounted within a transparent collapsible hood, and showing an expanded bellows device for smoiing acigarette and injecting cigarette smoke into ing a suction cleaner 3, and a bellows 4 for smoking a.

cigarette 5 at one end and delivering tobacco smoke 6 (Fig. 2) at the other end into the hood 2.

The suction cleaner 3 includes an air inlet 7, an air filter 8, a porous filter backup member 9, and a plurality In addition, the cleaner includes an electric cord I I, a perforated guard cap 12 detachably ,mounted on the air inlet 7, and a dolly 13 having a plurality of casters 14 on the underside thereof. The dolly 1 3 is composed of molded material such as mbber and at least one annular groove E15.

The hood 2 is composed of transparent material such as plastic or the like and is collapsible in structure. It includes a cylindrical side wall portion 16 and a top wall portion 17 which is secured to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 16 at a seam 18. The lower end of the cylindrical wall portion 16 includes a hem portion 19 in which a draw cord 20 is disposed. In addition, the cylindrical wall portion includes a reinforced smoke inlet port 21 and a reinforced cord opening22 on theopas rubber and is expansible and contractible from the.

elongated position of Fig. 1 to the contracted position of Fig. 2. One end ofthe bellows is provided with a tube 25 adapted for insertion into the smoke inlet 21 in the hood '2. The tube 25 is connected to a valve housing on the line The cord 26which closes one open end of the bellows 4 and which contains a one-way smoke valve for passage of smoke from the bellows to the tube 25 and not vice versa. The other end of the bellows is provided with a tube for :cigarette holder 27', in"one end of' which the cigarette 5 is :inserted and thesotherrend of which extends from a'va'lve housing 28 which closes'the othere'nd of the bellows 4. Likewise, the valve housing 28 includes a one-way valve which permits the passage of smoke from"the"ciga'rette 5 into-the bellows 4. Tn operation, the 'bellows'4 is handled manually so that upon expansion of the bellows '4 to an elongated position, smoke 6 is inasaetion cleaner;

tamina'te'd atmosphere within the hoodfdernonstratingf The open end of the hood 2 is then placed over the cleaner 3 to the position shown and the draw cord as is pulled tightly around the annular groove 15 of the dolly 13 until a snug, substantially airtight fitting between the lower endof the hood and the dolly is obtained. A knot is then tied in the end portions of the cord 20 as shown in Fig. 1. in addition, the electric 'cord lll is extended through the cord opening 22, and the cord plug 23 is then placed upon the cord and inserted into the cord openin'g -22 to secure an airtight fitting between the cord 11 and the opening 22.

Thereafter the tube 25 of the bellows 4 is inserted into the smoke inlet port 21 and the cigarette 5 is inserted into the cigarette holder 27 fat the opposite end of the bellows 4. At this stage of the demonstration the cleaner 2 remains inoperative while the cigarette is smokedby expanding and contracting the bellows manually until the interior of the hood 2 is completely filled with smoke 6 as shown in Fig. 2. The smoke of one cigarette 5 is usually sulficient for this purpose.

The cleaner 3 is then turned on so that the entire atmosphere within the hood 2 and around the cleaner is drawn into the cleaner through the air inlet 7. As the smoke-filled air passes through the filter 8, the smoke and air are separatedan'cl smokeless air is exhausted from the cleaner through the air outlets lit to the hood 2. in order to separate the smoke from the air, the filter 3 preferably has air passages of such size that air passes but smoke particles do not and the smoke particles are thereby filtered out of the air.

Inasmuch as the hood 2 is transparent, thetforegoin'g operationis clearly visible from the beginning of the operation when'tlie smokeis introduced into the space within the hood and until the cleaner 3 is turned on to clear the atmosphere and restore it to clear visibility. By providing a filter 8 with passages sufiiciently small'to pass air but not particles of tobacco smoke, the smoke and air are separated within the cleaner by the filter so that smokeless air is exhausted into the hood 2.

Although the bellows 4 is an expedient way of iiitroducing smoke intothe hood 2, it may be introduced by other means such as the operator smoking a cigarette and blowing the smoke orally into the hood through the opening 21."

The transparentho'od '2 of the present invention provides an expedient means for demonstrating visually the effectiveness of the suction cleaner 3 for filtering cigarette smoke, noxious fumes, and the like from the atmosphere'. V The hood 2 contaihs the smoke in a small concentnated area around the cleaner and when the smokefilled air is returned clean smokeless air, the efficiency of the cleaner as an filtering device is readily apparent. By roviding a collapsible, transearemjpsrtatie hood, the demonstration may be made more readily the. greater number of prospectivecustomers.

The improved portable demonstration device can be used not only for an eifective home demonstration of the eificiency of a cleaner in filtering smoke from air, but it may be used for home demonstrationof the effectiveness of various filter papers oro'ther filtering media used F01" in'sfiailc', tlijOI'liCil a'itffilfr 8 may be formedofpaper 'filter material, and if such filter paper is not effectivein filtering smoke, recirculation of a smoke-filled atni'osphere within the ,hoodZ upon operation ofthe device will leave a visible smoke-corilack of filter efiiciency. The demonstration device may be used in this nastier to demofistratethe efliciency of diiterent filtering materials provided as filters 8 for the cleaner 3-. V v V V Also, the defvicemay be used to compare the operation ofrdifferent cleanerswith thev same or different filter material. A particular cleaner with a particular filter .8 thereinwhich is very efficient in completely filtering all smoke from the smoke-filled atmosphere within the hood Then another 2 may be demonstrated withthe'device. type of cleaner may be placed within the hood 2 having its usual filter and the device operated. It the filterin the second cleaneris not efficient in completely filtering all smoke from smoke-contaminated. air recirculated through the cleaner, the inefficiency of the second cleaner and its filter will be visually apparent.

An advantageous, and extraordinary use of a suction cleaner may be explained and appreciated by operating the improved portable demonstration device in the home. Thus, operation of the device to visually demonstrate that a cleaner and its filter completely filter all smoke from smoke-laden air passed through the cleaner enables a home owner to understand that if the cleaner is placed in a closed, smoke filled room and operated for a sufficient period of time to circulate all of the air in the room through the cleaner, the smoke in the room will be filtered and removed from the air.

Such a showing is important since normall'y'the removal ofannoying smoke from the atmosphere in a room or private or public gath'ering place requires either prolonged airing or the installation and'use of special 7 air-conditioning equipment.

In the foregoing description certain terms 'have been used for brevity, 'clea'rness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such wordsportable filter demonstration device *for suction cleanen and the advantageous, new and useful results provided; the new and useful discoveries, principles, parts, elements, combinations; ,subcoinbinations, structures and arrangements, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Portable demonstration equipment for visually demonstrating the efiiciency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from smoke-containing air drawn through the cleaner, including a collapsible hood having a transparent side wall forming-an open end'adapted to enclose a portion of the cleaner including the inlet and outlet means, means at the open end of the side wall for sefor operating a cleaner with a portion so enclosed to Withdraw smoke-filled through the cleaner inlet means from and to return smokeless air through the cleaner outlet means to the interior of the hood.

2. Portable demonstration equipment for visually demonstrating the efiiciency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from smoke-containing air drawn through the cleaner, including a collapsible hood having a transparent side wall and an end wall at one end of the side wall, the side wall having an open end adapted to enclose a portion of the cleaner including the inlet and outlet means, means at the open end of the side Wall including a draw cord for securing the side wall in airtight enclosing relation to the cleaner outer surface, a smoke inlet in the hood for introducing tobacco smoke into the hood, and means for operating a cleaner with a portion so enclosed to withdraw smoke-filled air through the cleaner inlet means'from and to return smokeless air through the cleaner outlet means to the interior of the hood.

3. Portable demonstration equipment for visually demonstrating the efiiciency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from smoke-containing air drawn through the cleaner, including a collapsible hood adapted to enclose a portion of the cleaner including the inlet and outlet means, the hood including a side wall and an end wall closing one end of the side wall, at least one of the side and end walls being transparent, the side wall having a hemmed portion forming an open end, a draw cord in the hemmed portion of the side wall adapted to secure the hemmed portion in airtight enclosing relation to the cleaner outer surface, a smoke inlet in the hood, and means for operating a cleaner with -a portion so enclosed to Withdraw smoke-filled air through the cleaner inlet means from and to return smokeless air through the cleaner outlet means to the interior of the hood.

4. Portable demonstration equipment for visually demonstrating the efiiciency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from smoke-containing air drawn through the cleaner, including a collapsible hood having a transparent substantially cylindrical side wall and an end wall at one end of the side Wall, the side wall having an open end adapted to enclose a portion of the cleaner including the inlet and outlet means, means at the open end of the side Wall for securing the side wall in airtight enclosing relation to the cleaner outer surface, the hood having a smoke inlet, bellows means detachably connected with said smoke inlet for introducing smoke into the hood, and means for operating a cleaner with a portion so enclosed to withdraw smoke-filled air through the cleaner inlet means from and to return smokeless air through the cleaner outlet means to the interior of the hood.

5. Portable demonstration equipment for visually demonstrating the efficiency of a suction cleaner for filtering smoke from smoke-containing air drawn through the cleaner, including a collapsible hoodv having a trans parent substantially cylindrical side wall and an end wall at one end oflthe side wall, the side Wall having an open end adapted to enclose a portion of the cleaner including the inlet and outlet means, means at the open end of the side wall for securing the side 'wall in airtight enclosing relation to the cleaner outer surface, a

perforated guard cap detachably mountable on the,

cleaner air inlet means and adapted to hold the side wall of the hood from being sucked into said inlet means, the hood having a smoke inlet, bellows means detachably connected with the smoke inlet for introducing smoke into the hood, and means for operating a cleaner with a portion so enclosed to Withdraw smoke-filled air through the cleaner inlet means from and to return smokeless air through the cleaner outlet means to the interior of the hood. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,817,535 Spanel Aug. 4, 1931 2,184,433 Reed Dec. 26, 1939 2,638,688 Hazel ton May 19, 1953 2,790,253 Ayer Apr. 30, 1957 

